Nocturnal
by Helianna
Summary: Some of us are better at keeping secretes than others and when your life depends on the secretes you keep, you learn how to be good at it, when she moved to Beacon Hills six years ago, with a different identity, she thought things were going to be easy, but having Derek Hale as your upstairs neighbor isn't easy, she can't just ignore the troubles anymore, she must take action.
1. Chapter 1

I staggered to my room with the almost empty bottle of vodka in my hand, April's third the anniversary of the day everything ended or everything began, depending on your point of view, it had become something like a tradition for me, every year I told myself I was not going to think about it and every year I ended up wasted, it didn't help with the feelings, not at all, although, it somehow numbed the pain, or this is what I wanted to believe.

I sat on the bed and I drained my bottle, I looked at it for a moment, I remembered drinking from a glass, I could not remember how I ended up with the bottle, I let it slip from my hand, watching it roll across the room, I lay down on the bed and I looked at the ceiling that was spinning unmercifully.

I woke up, the alarm clock, by my bed, said I was passed out for two hours, the noises from upstairs had awakened me "for fucks sake" I mumbled with hoarse voice, my throat felt like sandpaper and I had an awful taste on my mouth, I heard another loud noise that made my head pound, sharp and heavy, that was probably Derek, my landlord, intimidating, broody, ridiculously handsome and a werewolf, of course he didn't know I was aware of that, the werewolf part that is, and I liked it that way, I didn't want to explain why I knew about the supernatural world, or how I could tell that he was a werewolf.

Another noise followed, that made my head throb, living on that apartment for 5 years I eventually got used to the disturbance, never asked what was going on at the loft above and Derek never gave an explanation. I pressed a pillow on my head, which was an excellent idea, not only it didn't muffle the noise but it also caused me nausea, I threw the pillow away pressing my eyes with my fingers I lay on the bed, my stomach twisting, my head pounding and my adorable nevertheless landlord doing god knows what upstairs, I wasn't going to complain about it, I never did, I could understand, the werewolf's life was not the easiest life to live, and that was one of the reasons I never asked or complained, another reason was that Derek never asked about me as well, he let me pay the rent in cash, he accepted my fake name, and didn't object when I said I would prefer not to sign a lease, so the least I could do in exchange for his discretion was to pretend everything upstairs was perfectly normal.

The noised above became somewhat disturbing and on my way to the kitchen I wondered if I had to worry, I took an aspirin and drank three full glasses of water with trembling hands, I could hear the blood pumping on my temples, and the noises from above were really, really getting on my nerves. I rested my head in my hands and began to rub my temples, trying to massage away the headache, "Shut. Up." I yelled at the ceiling, and winced from pain, yelling wasn't helping apparently. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and crawled to my couch, pressing the cold bottle to my eyes.

Derek was an Alpha, I had to cut the guy some slack, he had to take care of a hole pack, and having seen Derek's pack, I knew, they were a handful, constantly getting into troubles, sometimes I felt a pinch of shame, I could have helped with some of the troubles, but then I remembered that they were not my pack, not my troubles. And then I remembered that Derek was not an Alpha anymore, something about that kid being a true Alpha, and then I remembered that Derek was not on Beckon Hills, I gave the rent for the last six months to his sister two days ago, alcohol was really slowing my thinking process, the noises upstairs got louder, maybe Derek came back, or maybe Cora was in danger, I rose, and then I fell back on the couch, no, I thought, Cora could take care of herself, she was tough, I drunk some water and pressed the bottle back on my forehead. The noises from above ceased eventually, I glanced at the ceiling maybe a quick check, just to make sure everything is alright.

I checked my gun as I was climbing up the stairs, the door was open, repeating my mantra for the day, not a good idea, not a good idea, on my head, that was killing me, I slipped inside, I could smell blood, human blood, werewolf blood, and something else, I knew the smell but I couldn't place it. I took small steps, it was dark inside but the dim light coming from the windows was enough for me to see that the loft was trashed, broken furniture, blood and bodies on the floor, barefoot I kept walking, someone was there, someone who was not Cora, man, I thought, human, he was on his knees, searching for something, "pst" I called for his attention, he stood still "look, I have an epic hangover" I said "please don't make me shoot".

A gunshot echoed deep inside my brain sending waves of agonizing pain all over my head, my arm hurt too but the headache was all I could thing at the moment, another man was standing on my left holding a gun with a smoking barrel, I aimed at his knee, I got him mid-thigh, close enough, I fired again, the man hit to the floor, and I shoot him one more time, better safe than sorry, every single gunshot was bouncing inside my scalp making me wince in pain, the first man I had spotted took the advantage and leaped at me with a knife, I shot him right between the eyes, pity, I thought as his lifeless body collapsed on my feet "I had questions" I told him, the good news was that the bullet wound in my arm took my mind off the headache.

I heard a small pop behind me, and felt the pain as soon as an arrow head emerged out of my right shoulder, wonderful, I shot blind twice behind me, as I run to hide behind Derek's upturned sofa, I knew, I had to pull the arrow out, I just couldn't bring myself to do it, I never had a great pain tolerance.

I closed my eyes and grit my teeth, the pain, the memories, it was been seven years since the last time I fired a gun, seven years since the last time I killed, I took a deep breath and pulled the arrow out with one fast move "are you the last one?" I asked him, no answer "like you were going to tell me" two I killed, one still standing and five bodies, eight, I looked around and spotted Cora by the wall on my left, three arrows were poking out of her stomach, I couldn't say if she was alive or not, "are you hunters?" I asked, got two gun shots in respond "a bit antisocial aren't you?" he was walking towards me, he was soundless, I gave him that, but I could totally see his reflection on the window, I crawled on the other side of the sofa, and shoot him twice on the leg and one time on the shoulder. I rushed to him and kicked the gun away "are you a hunter?" I asked again the man growled at me, eyes filled with hatred, i shoot him again on the other shoulder "I asked you a question" he groaned, I put the gun on his head "know what?" I said, "I don't really care" I pulled the trigger.

Cora was breathing "Cora?" I called her name, the left side of her face was bruised and bloody, there were too much blood "come on Cora" she moved slightly "Cora look at me" she mumbled something "Cora? Cora?"

"Jane?" she said weakly, with doubt

"Yeah it's me" I told her "Can you open your eyes?"

"mmhh"

"open them" Cora opened her eyes "I'm going to pull the arrows so you can heal, alright?"

"What?" Cora's voice came out weak, a cry of pain slipped from her lips as I removed the first arrow.

"sorry, I'm sorry" I said throwing the arrows away, I pulled her bloody t-shirt up so I could see the wound "it's not that bad" I shamelessly lied to her

Cora grimaced "what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice just a whisper

"I heard noise and I got worried" well I didn't get worried fast enough, I thought, I really needed to get out of here, all the blood and that smell I could not remember were making me nauseated and the headache came back with vengeance "can you walk?" I asked "I need to take you out of here" Cora nodded

I half drag half carry Cora to my apartment, she was gaining and loosing continence, I helped her on the bed, and I went to the bathroom for my medical supplies, cleaned and bandage Cora's wound first and mine after, and I went to the kitchen I grabbed the pain killers from the kitchen table and took two, it felt like my head was going to explode, Derek I remembered, I had to call Derek. I went back to my bedroom, where Cora was sleeping and grabbed my cellphone from the night stand I glanced at Cora, caught that smell again, that smell I knew. I scrolled down my contacts and found Derek's number I called him, but he didn't answer, I called again, Cora shifted on her sleep and said something I placed a hand on her forehead "shit" she was burning, I called Derek one more time on my way to the bathroom, I searched the cabinet by the mirror for antibiotics and found a bottle, called again as I was trying to open the bottle, the dial tone synchronized with the rhythm of blood throbbing in my temple, I balanced the cellphone with my good shoulder to free my hands in order to open the bottle "fuck" the pills were spilled on the sink, the wound on my shoulder felt like it was on fire, I tried to reach for one of the pills but my fingers were shaking uncontrollably, I looked at my palms there were three burn marks across my right palm and one on my left, with trembling hands, I called Derek again, my stomach was twisting, nausea hit me hard, letting the cellphone fall down, I rushed to the toilet, and threw up.

The smell, I could remembered the smell, the burn marks, the arrows, I vomited again, how could I missed that, the arrows, they were poisoned, how could I missed that, how could I forget that smell somehow I managed to drag myself out of the bathroom and I did another failed attempt to reach Derek "Cora" I tried to yell but my voice wouldn't come out "Cora" I tried again "wake up, you need to wake up" I crawled to the bed and fished the shoe box underneath it "Cora" I pleaded one more time, my shoulder was sending waves of pain to my whole body, "Cora, please" I opened the shoe box and grabbed the vile with the black liquid not enough for both of us "shit" I looked at Cora, tree arrows, it was a miracle she was even breathing, the antidote wasn't enough for both of us, and Cora had been hit by three poisoned arrows, I crawled by Cora's side, and opened the vile with my teeth, my whole body was numb, just lifting my hands was a big effort, with clenched teeth I managed to take the bandage out and spill the black liquid on Cora's wound.

I remembered the vet, he was a Druid, wasn't he?, I've met him on my first year here, when I found a stray dog, old, sickly and skeletal and I took it to him, he was a kind man, calm and collected it was easy to figure out what he was, his office reeked of mountain ash, and every herb I could name, the moment I found his number, the phone slipped from my hands, I picked it up with limp fingers, it was six in the morning, "Hello?" said the vet's voice on my ear, thank god

"Dr. Deaton?"

"Yes, who is it?"

"its ele…" stupid, stupid "jane, it's jane" every word that came out was with big effort "jane miller, I need help" I looked as white steam came out of Cora's wounds, and I breathed, maybe she got a chance, the room was spinning "poisoned, abrus precatorius" I said, praying the vet would understand

"Jane where are you right now?" I could hear a pinch of panic in his voice

"Home" was all I could say, my throat close, every breath seemed to take forever

"I'm coming, are you alone Jane?" I couldn't breathe "Jane?" Deaton's voice called me through the phone "can you hear me?"

"Yes" I managed a whisper

"Try to stay awake" Deaton said but I was drifting away "Jane I'll be there in five minutes"

I don't have five minutes I thought, the phone slipped out of my fingers, how could I be so stupid how could I missed the smell, Cora shifted on the bed, maybe Cora will make it, laying on the floor gulping for air, my mouth dry and biter, every part of my body aching, at least the shaking had stopped, I looked at the ceiling wandering if this is what dying feels like, if that was it, everything was going to end on the anniversary of the day everything ended, there must be something poetic in that, if I could I would laugh, but I was so tired, the room grew darker, that's not right I thought, it's six in the morning the day was breaking, it was not supposed to be dark, I tried to keep my eyes open but it was very hard, so I gave up, I could hear something in the distance, my cellphone I realized, I opened my eyes everything was blurred, the cellphone was ringing right next to my face but I couldn't move my hand to reach it and the room grew dark again.


	2. Chapter 2

I could hear a voice in the distance but I couldn't understand what it was saying, everything was peaceful, except for that voice, it was coming and going, and I felt like I was floating, no, like I was sinking, deeper and deeper, and it was peaceful, beautiful, like I was in the bottom of a pool, but the voice would not let me be, I emerged at the surface, but everything was too loud and too bright, so I sank again back to the pool, I felt weightless, like my bones were made of rubber, but the voice came calling again "jane?" I heard the voice, I knew that voice "jane?" Who is Jane? I wondered "Can you hear me?" it's me, I'm Jane I remembered, I moved my lips not sure any sound came out "what?" the voice asked "jane can you hear me?" I moved my lips again "too loud" I managed to say, and I lost contact with the voice again.

Every inch of my body ache, my right shoulder was burning, I opened my eyes slowly "Jane?" I heard Deaton's voice, "Yes" I said my throat was dry and sore, I looked around "I'm not dead" I said  
"no, you are not"  
"Thanks for coming"  
"You're welcome" Deaton helped me sit up "how do you feel?"  
"sore" I was at my bedroom, I panicked "were is Cora?"  
"She is fine" Deaton said, the pain on my shoulder was sharp, I moved the bandage to take a look at the wound and I grimace with disgust, it was just nasty, like Jaret Leto's hand in requiem for a dream "please don't cut off my arm" I said  
"what?" he looked at me puzzled  
"noting" I put the bandage back  
"it's going to be fine in less than a week" Deaton reassured me "here, drink this"  
"What is it?" I asked  
"It's going to help you"  
I don't trust druids, so I wasn't going to drink anything without knowing what it is "what is it?" I asked again  
"just drink it Jane" said another voice, Derek was standing on my bedroom's the door, tall, dark and asshole "What. Is. This?" I hissed at Deaton,  
he sighed "its dandelion root tea"  
"I'll drink it, see! It was that easy" I took the cup from his hand and drunk it with big gulps, it was hot, biter and completely disgusting  
"how do you feel?" Derek asked  
"disgusted" I shoved the mug into Deaton's hands "how is Cora?"  
"she is all right" Deaton gave me a glass of water I drank the water eager to wash away the awful taste "the antinode you gave her was stronger than the one I got she was already awake by the time I came here" Deaton took the empty glass from my hands "Jane, I need to ask you, how did you know the poison was abus precatorius?" both Derek and Deaton looked at me suspiciously  
"I was poisoned by that before" I lied  
"How?" Deaton asked, none of your business I wanted to tell him but the guy just saved my life so I had to behave  
"By accident"  
"you got poisoned by a rare plant by accident?" Derek asked, oh please leave me alone  
"I'm accident-prone" I said "so you saw my calls?" I told him trying to change the subject "all twenty of them?"  
"Six" he said  
"Only six?" I acted shocked "shame on me"  
"I called you back as soon as I saw them, I'm sorry" well, he seemed sorry  
"aah… so it was you, sorry I didn't answer, I was busy, suffocating"  
"I'm sorry… I didn't… you…" he was stuttering, what a spectacular time to be alive, the angry, intimidating, big, bad, wolf was stuttering  
"It's ok I forgive you" I said  
Derek looked at me with raised eyebrows "really?" he asked "just like that?"  
"just like that" I sighed I couldn't say we were friends but it was easy to understand that he is one of those people who love to take the blame for everything, and he was going to take the blame for that too somehow, there was no point for me blaming him as well "there was nothing you could have done, you were miles away and I'm sure you know close to nothing of poisons, I just panicked and you were the first person that came to my mind, I should have called Dr. Deaton first"  
"why?" Deaton asked "how did you know I could help"  
"Cora told me to call you" I lied  
"she did?" Deaton raised his eyebrows "she was shocked when she saw me here" he said  
"Cora was delirious, she was shot by three poisoned arrows, I'm surprised she even remembers her name" I was impressed by the lies coming so effortlessly out of my mouth  
"I am surprised she is even walking" Deaton said "the antidote you gave her was very strong, I have never seen something like that again, where did you find it?" he asked, Deaton was a clever man, and I knew he had seen that antidote again  
"I bought it from a druid" I lied, Deaton smiled at me, he was suspecting something, I was sure  
"why would you buy antidotes?" Derek asked, nice, the intimidating wolf I knew was back  
"I collect them" well that right there was a stupid lie  
Deaton smiled "I saw your collection" he pointed my shoe box "some of them are really rare"  
"yeah they were really expensive" I said, Deaton looked at me with suspicion  
"why do you collect antidotes?" Derek asked "and how do you know about the supernatural?"  
"I'm sorry?" I said acting offended "Is this an interrogation?"  
"Of course it's not" Deaton reassured me  
"are you sure?" I asked "because this one is one step away from waterboarding me" I pointed at Derek "look, Dr. Deaton, thank you, you saved my life and I will be grateful for ever but I'm really tired"  
"I understand" he said and I was sure he understood more than he'd let out, "I'll come back tomorrow to check on you" he said  
"you don't have to" Deaton smiled and walked out of the room.

I was alone with Derek, I looked at him "oh come on Jane" Derek said exasperated "the whole situation is weird, you killed three people upstairs, you knew exactly what the poison was and you had the right antidote"  
"are you accusing me for something?" I asked  
"I don't know" he said "should I?"  
"Derek what do you mean?" I asked sincerely shocked "look I get it you don't trust people, but you have no right to offend me like that"  
"I didn't want to offend you" he said  
"but you did" I yelled, I couldn't control myself  
"Jane, you have to understand" he said  
"understand what?" anger rushed over me and I wanted to throw something at him  
"I know you hide something, I knew you were keeping secretes, the moment I met you" he said  
"yeah I do" a said taking a deep breath to calm myself, he was right, I had to understand, they guy almost lost his sister, the situation was weird indeed, I would probably act worst in his place "I do keep secretes, and there is a really good reason I do" I sighed "you are right the situation is weird, but the secrets I keep have nothing to do with it ,I have nothing to do with it" well I wasn't so sure about that, but I was sure sharing my thoughts with Derek wasn't going to help  
"I know" he said, he seemed almost apologetic, "but Cora almost died…"  
"I know" I told him "you got scared you were going to lose your sister" I looked at him "I understand this whole thing doesn't make sense, I know about poisons, I know a lot of things about poisons and about supernatural beings, the reason I know about all those things have nothing to do with what happened" I said, Derek sat at the armchair by the window,  
"I'm sorry" he said "if I was here none of these could have happen" he buried his face in his hands,  
"yell done" I said "you finally found a way to blame yourself" I moved myself on the edge of the bed I tried to stand up but fell hard, face first on the floor, I felt Derek's hands piking me up  
"are you alright?" he helped me sit back on the bed.  
"Derek…?" I looked him in the eye "please, please, tell me I'm not paralyzed"  
"you are not paralyzed" he smiled, I had to admit he had a great smile, and although it probably took him years to perfect his brood face he should smile more often, as a gift to humanity or something "you are not saying that, just because I said please, right?" I asked, rubbing the spot on my head that met the floor so gracefully "tell me, I can handle the truth" he leaned closer to check my forehead, and I fought an urge to grab him.  
"Jane don't be ridiculous" he said just the moment I was wondering what was wrong with me one minute before I wanted to punch him, and all I took for me to forget that was a smile? "You were off for three days" he touched my forehead "does that hurt?"  
"no" I lied "wait, what?" I almost missed that, "three days?" I tried to stand up again but Derek pushed me back on the bed "no, no, no, three days? I'm going to lose my job"  
"you are not going to lose your job, Deaton called the book store and said you were sick, something really contagious you have the week off" I looked into his eyes, gorgeous, green with little honey brown around the iris, there was something really wrong with me.  
I heard the doorbell "that must be Cora" Derek said  
He helped me walk to the kitchen and although I was sure I could manage on my own I let him, I sat on a chair and Derek went to open the door  
"are you alright?" I asked Cora  
"I'm fine" she said, she looked fine, werewolves and their healing, I thought, I was always jealous of that, so many great abilities and I got stuck with the sense of smell which most of the time was more trouble than gift "thank you" she smiled a beautiful smile like her brother's, I smiled back, she had brought Chinese, which I hate but thanked her anyway, and we all sat and ate our food in silence, I could see them eyeing me and looking at each other when they thought I wasn't looking.

I decide to tell them the truth, not all of it of course, just the least important parts, I knew I could trust them, it wasn't about trust, knowing the whole truth would put them in danger.  
"alright" I said eventually "I knew you are werewolves, and I knew Deaton is a druid, to be honest I made a very specific list of the supernatural creatures in Beacon Hills since the day I came, I know about the kanima, the nogitsune, the berserkers, the dread doctors and all the shit you managed to get yourselves into, I almost packed and left when the Wild Hunt started." I looked at them "to tell you the truth I almost packed many times over the last two years, my name was on the deadpool, you know, I mean my real name"  
"What's your real name?" Cora asked  
"I… don't…" I mumbled  
"it ok" Derek said, "Why were you on the deadpool?" he asked somewhat indifferent "you are not supernatural, are you?"  
I took a deep "I am, short of"  
"what?" Cora asked her fork hovering over her food, I swallowed  
"my parents were werewolves" I said looking at some bread crumbs on the table like it was the most interesting thing I had ever encounter  
"you are dormant" Derek said  
I shook my head "I prefer the term latent I said" this was beyond embarrassing  
"what does that mean?" Cora asked  
"latent werewolves carry the gene but they have none or very little of the common werewolf abilities" I said my eyes still on the crumbs "I was trained to become a druid, that's how I knew about the poison" no one was speaking and I didn't dare to take my eyes off of the crumbs I knew what I was going to see, and I was not in the mood for it, many years had passed since the last time someone felt sorry for me "that's why I have all those antidotes" I took a deep breath "I'm tired" I said, I stood up , and Derek went to help me "no" I forced a smile on my face "I got it" I didn't look at him, I didn't want to meet his face. "Goodnight" I said as I walked awkwardly praying I wouldn't embarrass myself more by falling.

I sat on my bed, barely holding back the tears, I felt small, like I was ten years old again, when all the people who knew what I was felt sorry for me, when my training started I had promised to myself that I would never let anyone look down on me, I focused on learning, I was training every day, I had to become strong, I had to prove myself, and I did, and then everything went to hell , memories of my pack came back and I couldn't hold the tears anymore. I cried, I cried for my father, my mother, my little brother, I cried for all those things I didn't cry for at the third of April, fat tears were running down my face when I heard a knock on the door "yes" I said wiping the tears away, the door opened and Derek came in he sat next to me, if he noticed my puffy eyes he pretended not to "you forgot this" he gave me a fortune cookie, I cracked it open to read the small paper and I couldn't help but laugh, Derek looked at me in confusion "your many hidden talents will become obvious to those around you" I read, Derek didn't laugh but he smiled, I looked at him for a moment, he really had a great smile "thank you" he said  
"For what?" I asked him  
"You had only one dose of the antidote and you gave it to Cora" he said "you saved her life"  
"she had taken tree arrows" I pointed the obvious "I had more chances to wait for Deaton than Cora"  
"you didn't have to, you could save yourself"  
I looked at him "this is what you would do?" I asked  
"it's not the same" he said  
"Cora was dying, it was the logical thing to" I looked in his eyes, he didn't feel sorry for me it wasn't pity I saw in his eyes it was gratitude "really, don't make me look like a saint, I'm really a horrible person" a said  
"Well, I believe you are a borderline good person" he smiled at me again, was he trying to kill me with sexy or something?  
"What can I say" I joked "my many hidden talents did became obvious to those around me" I popped the cookie pieces in my mouth and chewed proudly  
"Are you going to be ok?" he asked me a hint of laughter in his voice, I nodded yes, he walk out of the bedroom and then he turned back "Sophia?" he called me  
"Nice try" I said, he laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

When Derek left, I showered, change the bandages on my shoulder and arm and made myself some chamomile tea, the pain in my shoulder was still there reminding me of what had happened, as I needed reminder.

I was sitting on my armchair by the window, trying to read a book, it was a good book, but I couldn't sink into it, my mind was somewhere else, it was inside my night stand's first drawer, on my mother's bracelet, I left the book aside and went to my bed, I sat there looking at the drawer, the bracelet was there since the first day I moved to that apartment, I put it there, away from my sight, not away from my memory and I never opened the drawer since.

I took the bracelet in my hands, it had two rows of bright red and black beads, made from the seeds of the plant those men had used to poison their arrows, I brushed my thump over the glossy seeds, the first time I saw my mother taking that off was the day she gave it to me as a gift, for my eighteen birthday, two days before the night I lost her, in one night I lost everything, my family, my home, my place in the world and the only thing left to remind who I was, was that bracelet, my mother claimed it was supposed to protect the wearer, I hope it doesn't, because if it does, this means it helped me survive that night, this means that if my mother had kept it she would be alive now.

It belonged to my family for over ten generation she told me, when she slipped the bracelet in my hand. I missed my mother, I missed my father and brother too, I believed that I would get used to it in time but the hollow they had left seemed to grow bigger by the day. Seven years had passed since I lost them and still their absence was unbearable.

Could there be a connection between that bracelet and the men that tried to kill Cora on Sunday night? My stomach churned, a part of me wanted to run and hide, but there was another part that believed this was too farfetched, it is just a bracelet, just a stupid good luck charm important only to me, if the bracelet had something to do with that incident, if I had something to do with the incident those men were going to break into my apartment, but they didn't, they attacked Cora, they broke into Derek's apartment, this was just a coincidence, I was just being paranoid.

No one knew who I was, the people who killed my family believe I died too that night, as far as they concerned, as far as anyone concerned I am Jane Miller, Eleonora Morgan is dead along with the rest of the Morgan pack.

I swallowed, but the clump in my throat refused to disappear. The Morgan pack, old and powerful, perished in on night. Fifteen pack members some of them family some of them friends, all of them dead.

Nausea crept up, squeezing my throat. I leaned forward, I couldn't let anxiety overwhelm me. I concentrated on breathing, slow, shallow breaths. In through the nose and out through the mouth, trying to calm down, letting myself work through it. In and out. In and out. Slowly, I felt the anxiety receding.

.

I was probably blowing this out of proportion, there was no reason to believe something is wrong, there were no evidence something is wrong. Telling myself all those things over and over didn't make me feel better, I had to be sure I had to see the arrows. In the morning I would call Derek and ask him if he kept them, maybe I could find out something about the attackers from the arrows.

My name was on the deadpool, whoever saw that probably knew I'm still alive. If they had found me, then I had to leave Beacon Hills forever. I put the bracelet back on its place and I closed the drawer

If I'm right and those people already know I'm here, Cora almost died because of me, I can't just leave, I can't go and save myself again, and let the entire population of Beacon Hills deal with it.

When the sun came out, and I was sitting on my armchair, trying to make a plan off the things that had to be done. I crossed the room to my bed, and although I was worried and anxious, I fall asleep right away.

I woke up with the sound of my brother's voice in my ears. "Nora, run" I sat up, so certain I'd heard his voice. I looked around, trying to find Philip in the room, my mind in a state between sleep and awake. It didn't take me long to understand I was dreaming. Bright sunlight was coming from the window, illuminating the room, reassuring me that I was secure in my apartment. I was in a cold sweat, and my heart was beating like a drum.

The bedside clock read 9:15, I got of the bed and went to make myself a cup of coffee. After I called the bookstore to tell them I was ready to go back to work I sat at the table in my kitchen. I was staring down the cup of coffee in my hands, trying unsuccessfully not to think about that nightmare.

I was dreaming the night of the attack almost every time I went to sleep, most of the time my dreams were consisting of vague images of blood and smoke, sometimes I saw members of my pack lying on the floor, and sometimes my dreams were different from the reality, in those dreams I was killed, or worse, I was watching my parents die, I didn't saw them die, I just felt their death through the pack bond, but in my dreams, they were being killed in front of my eyes.

But I haven't dreamed of Philip in years, that night we were the last members of our family standing, and we were outnumbered, I was out of bullets an Philip was badly injured, he was yelling at me to run, so I did, and I will never forgive myself for that, I went and save myself, letting my brother behind.

The first year, when I was still on the run, his voice was hounding me, the guilt was hounding me as well, and I deserved that, I should have stayed back, with him, but instead I run like the scared little girl I was. His voice was echoing in my ears, and the memory of his face, illuminated by the moonlight, his eyes were glowing golden that night, but in my dreams his eyes were always blue, this beautiful dark shade of blue he shared with my mother.

I didn't deserve to live more than he did, it was unfair. I survived that night only because I was a coward, only because I run. I run, and I kept running, until I arrived at Beckon Hills where I became someone else. The shame and the regret of what I've done never went away, I just accepted it. He was my brother and abandon him, I deserved every bad feeling that came with that.


	4. Chapter 4

«Why do you want them?" Derek asked me, I wasn't sure if I should tell him, if my fears proved to be wrong, then I had to give him too many unnecessary explanations, and I had to avoid that.

"I want to examine the poison" I said, trying really hard not to lie, werewolves can say when someone is lying, and with Derek already mistrusting me, lying to him will only make things worse.

"Yes, I got that the first time" he said slowly "But why do you want to do it?"

"Do you know who those men were?" I asked him,  
"No" he said, I noticed he was looking pretty worn.  
"Do you want me to help you figure it out?" I said, trying not to sound too eager. Derek stepped aside, letting me inside the poorly furnished loft, I hadn't decided yet if he didn't have the time for a renovation or if he simply didn't give shit.  
I looked around, he had replace the broken windows, and had put the furniture back on their place, and I started believing that he probably doesn't gave a shit.  
"Can you find out who they were by examining the poison?" he asked  
"I can try" I was just hoping to find out who they were not by examining the poison.

Derek gave me two arrows, wrapped on a dishcloth, and told me to let him know if I found something.

Back in my apartment, I unwrapped the arrows on the kitchen table.  
I put a pair of gloves on and picked up the arrow, the fading burn marks on my palms, were telling me that the entire arrow was poisoned not only the tip, so I was careful not to touch it with bare hands.

The arrow was twenty inches in length. The shaft, was made from aluminum, I examined the smooth surface, and there were no markings. I looked at the nock, attached to the back of the shaft, also made from aluminum, also with no markings. The three little wings of the arrow, were made from a form of plastic nothing too fancy, just there to serve their purpose. The same thing for the arrowhead, made of steel, no markings.

There was nothing that could point me to a certain group of hunters. Most of them, having an extremely exaggerated opinion of their importance, etch their family's symbol into their bullets or arrowheads.

I carefully unscrew the arrowhead, and searched it for a mark, just the tiniest symbol. I knew two families who usually hide them. This arrowhead had nothing to give away its origin, these people were either rogue hunters or the Brotherhood, the same group of people who murdered my pack, my family.

My heart stood still at the very thought of that. Maybe it was time for me to stop denying. I dropped the arrowhead on the glass that was half full of a mixture of various kinds of extracts. The Brotherhood lased their ammunition with just a small amount of mountain ash just to make them easier for the supernatural to remove them but not enough so it can't be detected by smell "the moment of truth" I murmured as the tip sank to the bottom of the glass.

Two long minutes passed and then the transparent mixture on the glass tuned milky white. I squeezed my eyes shat, and took a deep trampling breath. It was the Brotherhood.

I couldn't remember picking the glass up. I couldn't remember throwing it to the wall. It was like I was sleeping and I woke up just the moment the glass crashed to the wall spreading pieces of broken glass everywhere.

I took the phone from my pocket and called Derek "Did you find something?" I heard his voice  
"came over" I told him and hung up.

The last seven years of my life I learned that the only way to stay alive was by keeping secretes. If anyone knew who I was the Brotherhood would find me, they were determined to kill every single person related to the Morgan pack. I was the last one, and they were bloodthirsty, they weren't going to stop until I was dead. The only way to stay alive was to keep my identity secret, and I learned how to do that. But now the Brotherhood found me, they want me dead and they don't care about the collateral.

Secretes are what kept me alive all those years. Now the same secretes that kept me alive are going to put the life of innocent people in danger. It's time for me to revel them. If the Brotherhood is going to come for me let them come. I won't go down without a fight and I won't let anyone die for me either.


	5. Chapter 5

I took a deep breath and opened the door. Derek studied me for a moment, "Are you alright?" he asked me "Did you touch the arrows with bare hands?"  
"Of course not" I said  
"Then what's wrong you look very pale" was I pale? I felt a subtle sense of numbness in my face for which I blamed the glass of whiskey I drank almost in one gulp while waiting for him, but maybe it was the blood leaving my face. I didn't answer, just walked to the kitchen with Derek behind me.

I poured myself another glass of whiskey, watching him looking at the broken glass on the floor "Jane?" Derek said my name slowly and carefully, maybe he was afraid I was losing my mind, and maybe he was right.

"Sit" I said drinking a generous amount of whiskey, I looked at him for a moment, feeling the alcohol burning its way down. I was going to tell him that his sister almost died because of me and I wasn't going to do it completely sober.  
"Jane, what's wrong?" Derek asked "what did you find out?" I sat on a chair facing him and hold the glass with both hands.  
"Those men" I said trying to gather the strength to tell him the truth "They were from the Brotherhood." I looked at him for a moment, trying to understand if he processed what I said.  
"What Brotherhood?" he asked  
"Do you know many Brotherhoods that hunt werewolves?" I asked him slightly losing my temper.  
"I know one" he said "But there is no reason for them to attack Cora or me. Are you sure"  
"the arrows were laced with mountain ash" I told him "only the Brotherhood does that"  
"what?" oh he didn't know that  
"yeah, the do that so the victim can take the arrow out of their body" Derek looked at me for a moment  
"and how did you took them out"  
"I was training to be a druid since I was ten I had to develop an immunity"  
"maybe someone is copying them" he was trying so hard not to believe me.  
"Derek nobody is copying them" I said way louder than I intended, I took a calming breath "It was the Brotherhood"  
"that doesn't make any sense. If it was the Brotherhood why did they brake in my apartment, their targets are Alfas and old packs I'm not an Alfa anymore, and my pack was old but it was destroyed years ago" I heard the sadness that came with his last statement. I could completely understand the pain of losing your pack and your family.

I finished my drink and purred myself another. I could already feel the welcoming feeling of numbness hugging me. "I believe they were looking for me" I said  
"that doesn't" he started saying something but he stopped. He looked at me "Jane" he said my name slowly again, but this time not carefully but intimidating "what is your real name?"

The doorbell interrupt me before I had the chance to tell him who I was. I opened the door and Deaton greeted me with his usual soft smile. His smile vanished when he saw my face I probably looked dreadful "Come" I said and I went back on the kitchen were Derek was waiting I sat back on the chair. "Remember when I told you that the secrets I keep had nothing to do with the attack?" I asked Derek.  
"Do they?" he asked, and I started wondering if Derek could actually kill only by looking at someone  
"My name is Eleonora Morgan" I said.

I took a sip from my glass waiting for it to sink in. Deaton and Derek stared at me. Derek in confusion and Deaton relaxed I knew he was suspecting I had a relation with the Morgan pack since the moment he commended on the antidote I gave Cora. It was my grandmother's recipe among with many of the other poisons and antidotes I had in my shoe box, she had grown a strange fixation with poisons and antidotes, and she taught me everything she knew about them.  
"Morgan?" said Derek, uncertain "from the Morgan pack?"  
"So the rumors are real" Deaton smiled, the whole situation seemed to amuse him.  
"What rumors?" Derek asked him  
"Since the night the Brotherhood attack the Morgan pack, there was a rumor spreading around that the Alphas daughter was alive"  
Derek looked at me for a while "You are Patrick's and Vanessa's daughter" he said eventually.  
I raised my head "I am" I said looking him in the eyes. The homicidal stare had disappeared, now his expression was deferent, softer "did you knew them?"  
Derek looked like he didn't know what to say. "I met your father once, he was a great man" He said after a long pause. "I'm sorry"  
"thank you" I said, this whole thing was making me feel uncomfortable. I didn't expect Derek knowing my father. I felt the knot I had in my stomach the whole day raising to my throat, I took another sip of whiskey. "Derek you need to leave Beacon Hills." I said "If the Brotherhood is here nobody in the town is safe"  
"and your plan is to evacuate the town?" Deaton asked  
"I don't have a plan yet" I said, yeah maybe I should have made a plan before calling Derek, too late now "I'll figure something out"  
"are planning to face the brotherhood alone?" Derek asked  
"yes" who was going to help me, I had no one left.

"Everyone I knew died the night the Brotherhood attack. I could contact my father's allies, some of them would probably agree to help me for my father's sake but I would never asked for their help that would only put their packs on the Brotherhood's target." I said my thoughts out loud  
"She is right" Deaton said skeptical "your father was very respected indeed but I'm sure no Alfa would put his pack in danger, even for Patrick's daughter."  
"You can leave town" Derek suggested "you can go somewhere safe, I can help you hide for a while"  
"I will leave town" I said I had made that decision when I was waiting for Derek "but I am not going to hide, I will lead them somewhere else"  
"This is stupid" Derek said "They will kill you" his eyes darkened for a moment, I turned my face away from his stare "Jane"  
"what?" I said "what am I supposed to do" anger rushed over me.

"They will find me Derek wherever I hide they will find me" the anger was slowly morphing into desperation, and could feel tears gathering on my eyes. I pushed them away "I run, alright?" I almost screamed the words "I run, for two years I was running, for seven years I'm hiding" I was trying really hard not to cry. I am Eleonora Morgan, I'm not weak, I said to myself "I'm tired" I said, and I was. Tired was the best world to describe my situation emotionally and physically tired. I looked at him trying to calm myself "I'm tired of running and I'm tired of being afraid of them" Derek said nothing  
"I could help you" Deaton said "I have some friends who could hide you"

I slammed my hand on the table "I don't want to run anymore" I closed my eyes, they were trying to help me and I was yelling at them. Why was I acting like an asshole? I took a deep breath "I'm sorry" I said, feeling completely ashamed "thank you" I looked at Deaton "I know you owe me nothing and you already saved my life once but if you want to help me a made a list" I took the piece of paper from my back pocket. "Can you find those for me?" Deaton read the list  
"I already have most of them and the others aren't really hard to find, I can probably gather them all by tonight" he said "please reconsider" he looked at me "I can help you leave the country if you want"  
"thank you" I said "I only need the herbs"  
"I'll better go get them then" Deaton sighed. And he left the room leaving me once more alone with Derek who was looking at me with his hands crossed over his chest.

Several minutes passed in complete silence. "The brotherhood won't stop until I'm dead" I said, Derek said nothing "leave" I said "just for a while" he said nothing, I wanted to scream, to grab him from both shoulders and shake him, to make him say something, anything. "Derek?" I saw his jaw tensed "I'm only asking you to leave for a few days until I am ready to go" I didn't know what his problem was maybe he didn't want to leave out of pride.  
"They almost kill my sister" he said his voice was grim "They broke into my apartment"  
"Derek, no" I said in warning  
"They made it personal" he continued in the same tone  
"don't please don't" I begged him  
"if you are going to fight them I'm going to fight with you"  
"the hell you won't" I didn't remember standing up but I was standing up "they will kill you"  
"they can try" he said  
"no, no, no," I walked towards him "you are being arrogant, please don't be arrogant"  
"If I am being arrogant then what are you" He turned his face slowly and looked at me "you're planning on facing the brotherhood alone with what? Herbs and poisons?" he didn't know about my collection of guns  
"Derek I may be a latent but I'm not completely useless"  
"yeah, it's the completely part that concerns me"  
"I know how to protect myself"  
"I believe you do, but no one can face those men alone" he stared me with his green eyes and my heart sank just a little "this is suicide" he said his voice soft.  
"And why do you want to join me?" I was yelling again "this is my problem, my mess"  
"it is not your mess" he raised to face me "you did nothing to make them come after you, it's not your fault these crazy people believe that exterminating your entire bloodline will cure lycanthropy". 


	6. Chapter 6

Derek wasn't going to change his mind I knew that from the moment he decided to take the Brotherhood's attack personal, I wasn't going to change my mind either. Maybe he was right, it wasn't my fault that those people choose to believe a myth. My family's death wasn't my fault, not entirely at least, but every single person's death on Beacon hills would be my fault, I should have never come here. What was I thinking? I can't run from the Brotherhood.

I looked at Derek for a long moment. I had made my decision and putting him on harm's way wasn't part of it. "You want to fight the Brotherhood on your own?" I asked, he remained silent "this is stupid, this is beyond stupid, this is…" I couldn't find a word to describe what this really was I rubbed my face. I was pacing being unable to stay still. I had to find a way to change his mind. The only way was to leave tonight without telling anyone the brotherhood would follow me.

"Think about Cora"  
"what about her?" he asked sounding alarmed

"do you believe that she would let you go alone? The moment she will learn what you want to do she will demand to come with you." He opened his mouth to speak but I didn't let him "and even if you don't tell her what you are going to do, she will find out eventually" I continued

"she won't, she left yesterday" Derek said looking away, this was a good sign, he was afraid of that himself. Maybe there was a chance of changing his mind after all and I really wanted to change his mind I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye.

"Great!" I said "so you will go against those men without telling her, without giving her the chance to say goodbye" I looked at him hoping my face wasn't showing desperation "because I need you to know that it will be goodbye, you aren't going to walk out of it alive." Derek took some steps towards me "Neither will you" he said his voice sounded week

"I am alone, no one cares if I die" I said, and the realization hit me, I have no one to left behind, no one to mourn me, it was supposed to be a good thing but it felt so bad "you have Cora. You will leave her alone" I forced myself to continue

Derek looked at me, he took a step towards me , I stepped back and I bumped into the wall he took another step, closing the distance between us, "Jane…" my stomach involuntary flipped to the sound of his voice.

"That's not my name", my own voice came out clumsy, like it wasn't mine. He looked down, his lips forming a hind of smile and I felt my knees weak. Some part of myself wanted to see is smile.

He raised his eyes the ghost of a smile still on his face He took another step towards me, crowding my space "Eleonora" his hands lifted to my hair and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingertips brushed against my neck causing a shiver to race down my spine.

I could not look anywhere else, only his eyes. "I care" he said. His voice was low and rough, I didn't know how to respond, and even if I did I wouldn't from fear of using my voice, because I knew that my voice would be unstudy. He leaned forward. All I could do was stare in his eyes, in the light coming from the small kitchen window, they looked more blue than green. I felt my heartbeat rising. "Why?" I asked, my hand was touching his chest, before I even realized I had raised it, I pushed him away.

He stepped back. I breathed. I wasn't sure what I felt as I walked past him. The only thing I knew was that this would end badly. I lived the last five years alone, and it was for the best.

"The year before I came to Beacon Hills, I lived in different town, I had a different name, a job, and a boyfriend. His name was Josh." I said

I was trying to act nonchalant, but the truth was my heart was breaking every time I remembered Josh he was perfect, sweet, he made me laugh, when I was with him I felt free, alive he could take my mind off of the things that happened.

"Josh was human" I continued, he was so devastatingly human. "The brotherhood caught him"

"they killed him?" Derek asked

"no…yes" I said, he looked at me confused. I took a deep breath "they killed him, but first they told him I was a werewolf. They fed him the lies they believed that I am Lycaon's descendant and that if my bloodline got exterminated all werewolves will be cured. So he told them where to find me, where I worked, where I lived, everything"

Derek gave me a death stare "do you believe I will betray you?" he asked

"Derek" I said feeling tired "If I believed, even for a second, that they would leave you alone, I would beg you to betray me" I never blamed Josh for betraying me, in his book I was the monster and the Brotherhood the good guys, he didn't know that those men are the monsters in every book "the point is, they don't care. They killed Josh, the moment he brought them to me" they had shot him through the throat, because they wanted me to see him die slowly before they kill me. I closed my eyes and I saw Josh's eyes looking back at me, when he collapsed on the floor, he looked… confused.

"The Brotherhood doesn't care they will kill everyone if it fits their purpose, and they are not going to stop. If they finally get me maybe some of them will see what a complete bullshit their theory is"

"you are willing to die for the greater good" he said with just a little irony in his voice

"I'm just tired of hiding and running and being afraid, and I don't see any other way to end it" I was. I was tired, emotionally exhausted, I couldn't do this anymore, I couldn't live anymore in fear. Everywhere I went the Brotherhood followed, and people got killed. I remembered Josh, the way he looked at me before he died. To him I was a monster. The sound of the doorbell ringing brought me back to reality. I walked to the door, living Derek behind me.

I could smell Deaton, I also smelled other people a human a werewolf and a Bunche I opened the door and they walk inside without waiting for permission Deaton gave me two bags with the thing I asked him for "Deaton?" I asked blood rising to my head "what are they doing here?" the vet looked worried the others gave me exasperated looks "what is it?" I asked, looking at the werewolf, I knew him, he was the Alfa

"they got Liam" he said looking past me, I followed his eyes and I saw Derek standing behind me

"who is Liam?" I asked

"his Betta" Derek said

"what is the brotherhood?" the kid standing next to the Alfa asked, Stilinsky I remembered, the sheriff's son, the human Betta of McColl pack, I had tried to keep a track on that pack at some point over the last years but it just gave me a headache so I gave up.

I let the bags drop to the floor "The Brotherhood has your Betta?" I asked

"who are they?" the Alfa asked, I looked at him, not knowing what to say, I was confused. I looked Deaton, then Derrek behind me, then back to the Alpha

"how is that even possible?" I asked shocked by his ignorance

"they snatch him when he left school" he said, thinking I was asking how is it possible that the Brotherhood got his Betta. He had no idea.

"you don't know what the Brotherhood is?" I asked still in shock, I looked at Derek. He shrugged.

"He is new" he said

"he is an Alpha" I exclaimed. I looked at Deaton "you didn't tell him about the Brotherhood?"

"what is the brotherhood?" sheriff's son yelled turning my attention back to the important matter.

I rubbed my face. How was I supposed to explain them? They had his Betta, and he was just a kid, it was all because of me. I should have never come here. I felt something turning in my stomach. I put them all in danger. The whole word was spinning, there wasn't enough oxygen in the room. I walked to the living room feeling dizzy. Feeling nausea rising to my throat I sat on the sofa, my hands and feet were numb.

I tried to breath, but the air on the room felt to thick.

I had to calm down.

I had to breath.

I couldn't.

Liam is going to die because of me.

He didn't even know me. I have never met him.

"the Brotherhood doesn't care" my own words felt like a punch to my stomach.


	7. Chapter 7

I felt the sofa shifting as Derek sat next to me I could smell his scent, "are you all right?" he asked placing one hand on the small of my back, his voice, his touch, even his scent, made me feel calmer, almost secure, almost like I had the right to feel all those things. I moved away from him.

"Deaton?" the Banshee whispered "what's going on? Who is she?"

"She is the girl they want" Deaton's voice replied I didn't took my hand of my eyes I just listened to their voices discussing about me

"who are those people?" the Alpha

"why do they want her?" the Banshee

"What's wrong with her? She looks… green" the human

"Shut up" I yelled at them, they all looked at me, great, I had their attention, and now what was I supposed to say? "I'm Eleonora Morgan" I said "from the Morgan pack" I looked at the Alfa not a slightest glimpse of recognition "Patrick Morgan was my father" I said, nothing. I looked at Derek "is my family's name lost to oblivion?" I asked, he gave me a sympathetic look. "There is a myth that my family comes from Lycaon's bloodline" I huffed.

"what?"

I looked at Deaton "really? Of all the important things he ought to know as an Alpha he knows only a myth?"

I hate Druids, of course he told him that story, how bravely the druids learned the cursed beasts how to transform back in human form. "The Brotherhood is a network of fanatic's they believes that if they kill every one of the Morgan bloodline they will cure lycanthropy. They killed my entire family I'm the only one left and they are hunting me ever since" I said in one breath

"but you are not a werewolf" the Alpha said.

"I'm latent"

"you're what?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose "not presently active"

"it is actually quite common" Deaton explained "but not when both parents are werewolves" he said skeptical

"say something about my mother and I won't need fangs to rip your throat out" I snapped at him

"you look too much like your father to even think about it" Deaton gave me one of his soft smiles

"Is it true? The Lycaon's blood line part?" Styles asked more enthusiastic that I would like

"We were an old pack" were an old pack, the words tasted bitter in my mouth. Old and respected and now the new Alphas won't even know our name.

"It's probably not true" I looked at him he seemed disappointed "even if it was true, you understand that killing his descendant would do nothing?" I asked looking both at the human and the Alpha "Please tell me you understand that" I said to the kid Alpha

"how do you know that?" The human, looked at me suspiciously

"because it's a myth" I said gritting my teeth, trying so hard not to yell at him "maybe Lyacaon was a werewolf, probably he was, but he was not the first one, and Zeus did not transform him to one for sure. It's a story based on a poem that Druids used to make themselves important to the packs"

"Druids are important to the packs" Deaton said

"to convince the packs that they are important to them" I rephrased "better?"

"more so the new werewolves won't use them as a chew toy" Derek said

"that's possible" I agreed

"that's offensive" Deaton said

"It's based on a poem?" Styles asked, I looked at his face and I almost felt sorry for him, he grew more disappointed by the minute.

"Maybe I should go ahead and tell him that Santa Klaus isn't real as well" I said to Derek

"Please don't, that will destroy him" Derek advised me

"Yes, it's based on a poem" I said trying to hide my amusement "there are many stories about the way Lycaon tuned into a wolf but the one Druids used came from a poem written by the roman poet Ovid and it's quite beautiful" I explained to him he looked at Derek who shrugged and then at Deaton who looked at him with an impressive poker face

"I won't confirm anything" he said

"His clothes flee in place of wool and fur upon his legs: he becomes a wolf and he preserves the traces of his formal self. There is the same greediness, the same violence of his face and likewise his eyes shine, the same appearance of wildness." The Banshee was reciting the lines of the poem, her face looked distant like she wasn't even aware that she was speaking.

"How do you know that?" I asked feeling my blood running cold, my mother used to read me and my brother the poem every night when we were kids, listening to these words again made feel devastatingly alone.

She looked at me like she was just woken up from a dream, she looked around, everyone looking at her, and then back at me. She looked in my eyes, like she could see my soul. Lydia I remembered, her name was Lydia Martin. She tilted her head upward and her eyes lost focus for a moment "Lydia" I called her name praying she wouldn't, and the she screamed.


	8. Chapter 8

I placed a mug in Lidia's hands "what is it?" she asked

"its chamomile" she looked at me "for your throat" I said. Of all the terrible gifts to have, predicting death must be the most terrible but she looked strong. And despite the fact that she just predicted my death, I liked her. "After all that screaming it should be sore"

"you know what this means?" Scott, the Alpha asked me

I forced a smile on my face "that I'm going to die" I sat on the couch

"I'm sorry" Lydia apologized

"For being a Banshee?"

"for telling you, you are going to die" she said, still holding the mug with both hands

"drink" I said

"You look oddly calm" Scot commended.

"I know my fate, didn't need a banshee to scream it at me, still hearing from a banshee that you are soon to be dead isn't what I would call a good experience, probably if they didn't scream it would be nicer" I said rubbing my face "anyway she didn't tell me anything I didn't suspected on my own"

"Maybe she is wrong" Derek said "she was wrong before"

"she is not wrong" I snapped.

I remembered that saying, my grandma used to say, hope is a good breakfast but a bad supper. And grandma Frida was many thing but she was rarely wrong. There is nothing wort than hope, nothing that hurts more than having your hopes destroyed, then everything tastes bitter. There was that time in my life that I used to be hopeful and made plans and have dreams but then everything turned to ashes. Some people call it pessimism and for some people it is pessimism indeed, for me and my situation it is realism.

That was my reality now, I tried to avoid my fate I tried to avoid the Brotherhood and the only thing that I managed was to put innocent people in danger. I looked at Scott "So the Brotherhood has your Betta" I asked, there was no time for me to throw a pity¬¬¬ party I had to find out a way to save the kid I put on danger "how did you know it is the brotherhood?"

"They left this" he retrieved a piece of paper from his back pocket.

It was a small piece of paper saying who they were and what they wanted. Simple and clear. "Who is Wegman?" Scot asked

"he is their chief, he founded the Brotherhoo about twenty years ago" Derek said as I was still looking at the neat printed letters, unable to speak.

"They want you alive" Derek said.

"I was afraid of that"

"why would they want you alive?" Styles asked

"they are looking for me for seven years. I killed some of them over those years, probably the want to make it an execution" they were ruthless and I knew that. I refused to be afraid. I spent seven years of my life being afraid of them and that was all, you are done being afraid my mandra for the week "So what are we going to do?" Styles asked

"WE are going to do nothing" I said, I was going to stick to my plan "I am going to leave, lead them away from Beacon Hills and if you are lucky they will leave you alone after they got me"

"they got Liam" Scot protested

"it doesn't matter what they said they are going to kill your Betta no matter what" I was feeling horrible, but it was the truth and they had to know that

"we can't leave him" the Alpha protested, I almost smile at him, beyond his ignorance, he was a good Alpha, he cared about his pack.

"You have to, I know it is difficult, I understand…"

"We won't leave him" he cut me. "There must be a way"

I had to figure something out and I had to do it fast. If they agreed to the exchange they will kill them on sight, in worst case scenario they will capture them and make a big spectacle of killing us all.

If the exchange me with their Betta somewhere crowded? That wouldn't help either. They wouldn't hesitate killing civilians.

They wouldn't hesitate killing anyone. But that was not true there are some people who they wouldn't risk killing.

"There is a way" I said, I didn't like it but it was the only thing that I could think of "you will exchange me with your Betta"

"what?" Styles and Lidia looked at me shocked

"no way" Derek said

"Eleonora…" Deaton started saying something but I ignored them all

"not you" I looked at the Alpha "Ask Chris Argent to do it"

"why him?"

"They wouldn't kill a hunter" I said, and they certainly wouldn't kill an Argent, they would never risk a retaliation from the hunters "you and the rest of your pack won't be anywhere near"

Derek grabbed me by the arm

"I need to talk to you" he said and he almost drugged me to the kitchen "are you out of your mind?"

I took a deep breath "do you have any better idea?" I asked

"any idea would be better than this one" he was furious

"Derek they won't let this go, they will go against the Brotherhood and it will be bloody"

Deaton slipped inside the kitchen soundless "you are the last of the Morgan pack. They will make a show out of your execution" He had an almost fatherly tone on the way he spoke that made my heart break

"let them have it" I said. He was right they would make a show, but I had a plan. I wouldn't let them humiliate my family's name any longer.

"Eleonora, you are not thinking straight" Deaton said

"we will figure something out" Derek tried to take my arm again and I moved out of his reach. I couldn't listen to them anymore. The blood rising on my head, I could feel it pumping on my veins.

"Go ahead" I said my voice trampling with anger "figure something out" I couldn't control myself anymore

"why are you so eager to become a martyr?" Derek snapped back

"a martyr?" I yelled at him "this is what you believe I'm trying to do?"

"I don't know" he raised his voice I could see a vein pumping on his neck "what do you believe you are trying to do?''

"what I'm trying to do is to save that kids life and prevent a bloodbath"

"by sacrificing yourself?" he barked "that the definition of trying to be a martyr" They both looked at me "go" almost screamed "get out" I realize I was shaking "all of you. Leave me alone"

"Eleonora" Deaton's calm voice made things even worst.

"Out" the word burst out of my throat like a roar "get out" Derek stepped back, I knew I was acting like crazy, but I didn't care I felt like I was going to explode.

Derek opened his mouth to say something but he thought better of it. He gave me one last exasperated look that made my blood boiling and left, Deaton followed. I was alone, just like I wanted but it didn't made me feel any better.

My breath was uneven, my whole body was shaking. I screamed but it didn't helped so I screamed some more, I was screaming until my throat closed, and when I couldn't scream anymore I started punching my fist on the wall until it went all bruised and bloody, and then I fall to the floor and I started crying.

It was almost dark when I began to rouse, I must have fallen asleep on the floor. My face was swollen, every inch of my body hurt, the floor wasn't the most comfortable sleeping place, my throat was sore from all the screaming, my hand was covered with dried blood and bruised from punching the wall, and my arm and shoulder were still hurting from my last encounter with the Brotherhood men but my dignity was hurting the most after I threw a temper tantrum like a five year old.

I stepped inside the shower, the water was cold, I shivered but only for a moment and then I let the cold water poor over my head leaning against the wall.

I knew I should apologize to Derek and Deaton, but after my outburst I felt better, calmer, more focused. I allowed myself a few more minutes before I stepped out of the shower.

I grabbed my cellphone. One, two, three beeps until a rough voice answered, when I spoke I was sure and I was focused "Hello Mr. Argent, I am Eleonora Morgan"


	9. Chapter 9

Chris Argent was a handsome man, his light brown hair where flaked with gray tones they didn't have the last time I saw him. His eyes though had the same grey hue they had back then, just like his name the color of silver. And it was a much suited color for those eyed, like a well-polished blade, sharp and dangerous.

He studied me with those striking eyes for several minutes. It made me feel uncomfortable and probably this was his purpose, so I sat a little straighter rolling both my shoulders back I relaxed my arms and made sure I wasn't squeezing the chair's arm. I kept my eyes focused on his.

Don't ever let them make you uncomfortable my father's voice in my head helped me stay calm. If they sense even the slightest glimpse of fear you have lost the game. I kept my eyes on focused on his, we were looking at each other on a weird staring game I wasn't going to lose I was well trained, he wouldn't make me feel uncomfortable, I wouldn't allow it. I could hear the clock ticking as we were looking at each other, and then he smiled to me, it was a kind smile, it got me off guard but I recovered quickly. I smiled back but my smile was just polite I wasn't that good of an actress.

"Your father taught you well" he said his voice calm and kind. I wasn't expecting that.

"Excuse me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even, he was making me uncomfortable after all.

"I remember the first time I saw you. You where what? Seven?" he asked, his voice was kind so was his expression. I tried to control my facial expressions, hoping my face looked calm despite the uneasiness and the confusion the way he spoke to me caused.

"Ten" I said, my father was trying to be in good terms with the hunting families he used to take me with him when he was meeting them. I never understood why. Maybe it was because I was going to be the pack emissary, I never question my father's judgement I just listened and lerened.

"I'm sorry about your family" he said

He was what? I almost fall from my chair "Okay. I thing I got the wrong Christopher Argent" I said before I could stop myself . He smiled and this time his smile reached his eyes. I couldn't understand what was going on and what game he was playing.

"Many things had changed since the last time we met" he said he sounded sad. "Your father was a good man" sorry? what?

"You mean a rabid dog" I said. I never forgot how he looked at me that time it was many years ago and I was just a little child but I will never forgot the look in his cold silvery eyes.

"I was wrong back then" he said. I narrowed my eyes at him, if this was a trick for him to make me let down my guard this wasn't going to work

"you don't believe me" he said it was more of an observation than a question he seemed almost pleased, I didn't know the game but I could play it just fine

I flashed him a bright smile, "I don't trust you" I corrected his statement keeping my voice soft and frendly

"yourself, your family, your pack" he said my pack's mantra to me and I fought the need to slap him across the face for using it.

My pack's manta yourself, your family, your pack. Who you are where you come from where you belong, the things you should hold dear my father used to say, the things you should never forget. The people you have to protect and trust, the people you should trust to protect you. And I have lost all of those I lost my family, I lost my pack, and I lost myself, all those years pretending I was someone else, hiding my identity, being afraid, not anymore.

"If you don't trust me then why are you here?" Argents voice brought me back from my thoughts.

"I need your help" I said "and I believe I can trust your honor"

After he heard what I had to say. He stood up "What you're asking me is…" he searched his mind for the right words

"against your code?" I offered

"do you know what my code is?" he asked me

"your old or your new?"

"you are well informed" he gave me an approving look

"my father taught me well" I returned him his own words and he smiled "Mr. Argent can you quit smiling you scaring me" I said and he laugh. It was a shot lived laughter but it was honest maybe he was telling the truth maybe he was changed

"you remind me of my daughter" he said

I spoke before thinking "was your daughter also a rabid dog?" I was a Rude. Asshole. "I'm sorry?" I said looking at my glass being too ashamed to look at him "I'm sorry for your loss"

"thank you, what you are asking me to do is very brave" he said "it is also very stupid"

"of course it is, I'm not thing straight, there must be a better idea" I looked at him "look me in the eye and tell me if there is a better way to end this and I will follow your lead" he said nothing "Mr. Argent if you don't want to interfere I completely understand either than that we both now there is no better way to…"

"I will help you" he cut me off, he put a hand on my shoulder "you have three days to change your mind" his eyes that used to be dangerous and sharp were now sad "please, change your mind"

I threw my keys on the furniture next to the door and I went straight to the huge window. I opened it wide and breathed in the cool air I will miss my apartment. It was midnight everything was dark and quiet. I took a deep breath filling my lungs. I could smell the essence of Beacon Hills the smell that pulled me to this town in the first place, the faint smell of the Nemeton, and the smell of… Banshee

"I get it. I'm going to die, leave me alone already" I wispered as I was walking to the door, when I opened it Lydia was standing there looking pale and lost. She probably didn't even know how she got here. I pinched the bridge of my nose "Lydia I swear to god if you scream I will pull you vocal cord out with a fork" she looked at me with huge eyes

"I had a dream" she said her voice weak and distant

I stepped to the side "Okay Martin Luther King, come in"

"He actually said I have a dream" she mumbled as she walked pass me

"you know? You are beyond annoying. Even for Banshee standards" I said closing the door "sit, I was going to make a coffee you want some?" She shook her head "no"

I sat in the coffee table in front of her. Sipping my coffee, waiting for her to speak. "Lydia" I said keeping my voice as soft as I could.

She raised her head slowly "there is this woman" she said slowly "I was seeing her everywhere, she is old and she has long white hair" she rubbed her wrist I saw a bruise like a handprint "I thought she was following me" she said, I swallowed with difficulty

"does that hurt?" I asked

but she ignored me and just kept talking "in my dream she was in a cell it was cold and she was chained"

I sipped my coffee "if we are talking about the same person it's probably hell"

"she said her name was Frida"

"yep, definitely hell" I loved my grandmother, I really did, but she wasn't what you would call a sweet old lady more like a cold hearted, manipulative, cruel old lady.

"she was yelling at me to wear a bracelet, it was horrible" she shivered

"I'm sorry" I said, having my grandma Frida yell at you was a worst experience than this of a Banshee. "Just that? just to wear the bracelet?" I asked, Lidia nodded

"Who was that woman?" Lydia asked

"My grandmother, do you need me to give you a ride home?" I asked

"no" she shook her head "I already called Styles"


	10. Chapter 10

When Styles and Lydia left I wore my mother's bracelet, because I was still afraid of my grandmother, beyond the fact that she was dead and she could only torment poor Banshees. I took my coffee and went back to the window, I was in desperate need of fresh air. It was weird that Frida wanted me so badly to wear that bracelet that she went into that much trouble to pass me that massage but the more weird part was how clear that massage was Frida loved riddles she never said what she wanted me to do plain and simple and passing that massage so clear was not only uncharacteristic of her it was also difficult passing a massage via a Banshee is hard and complicated. Passing a massage that clear is borderline impossible.

I looked down on my wrist at the bright red beads and then a smell came to my nostrils, humans nobody I knew run back to the living room and went straight to the couch, I kept all my guns on the truck of my car but my paranoia made me hide weapons in every corner of the house not being sure if it was a good thing or not that my paranoia eventually paid off I fished the large sheath knife I had hidden under the couch and I walked to the door, careful not to make any sound.

Standing in front of the door I could smell three different scents. I stood still listening, someone was trying to pick the lock. I took my place leaning to the wall estimating the distance I needed so the door won't be in front of me when they opened. I had the advantage I knew they were here and there was no need to panic but despite that I felt my heart beat rising.

All I had to do now was wait and be calm so that's what I did I waited breathing calmly and holding the knife close to my chest. I had to be calm, picture what I have to do, be prepared to do it and don't hesitate to do it. If I wasn't calm if I want prepared or if I hesitated even for a moment I was dead and I refused to die by like that.

I closed my eyes and I took deep breath visualizing what I was going to do, I opened my eyes to the weak sound of the lock giving up. When the door opened I was calm, prepared the door opened one man walked inside my apartment then another one behind him and then the last one, all three of them dressed in black, wearing the same outfit the men that broke into Derek's loft. The walked inside my apartment with their guns raised.

They knew how to be soundless but so did I. I left my spot next to the door and I slipped behind the last one that walked in. I gripped him by the forehead before he had the chance to react and I inserted the knife in the base of his skull with one fast move, his body went limp and I grabbed him before he collapsed I placed his body on the floor and I grabbed his gun. I pulled the trigger of the dead man's gun twice, one bullet ripped into one man's shoulder and the other punch a hole on the other man's neck he raised his hands to hold his throat and then he fell face first on the floor.

The guy who took the shot on his shoulder didn't took long to react but it was long enough for me, before he had the chance to turn around I aimed and fired twice one bullet on each knee he fell to the floor cursing I rushed to him and kicked his gun away.

Someone walked behind me I turned around rising the gun to the new intruder "it's me" Derek said and I realized a breath I didn't even know I was holding "it's me" he said again I realized I was still pointing the gun at him I let it fall, the impact of what really happened started to replaying on my mind as the adrenaline was starting to subside.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked grabbing me by both arms

"I'm fine" I winced because he was squeezing the old bullet wound I had I had on my arm

"are you hurt?" his eyes were shining bright blue.

"I'm fine" I said again  
"are you shure?" he asked again looking me in the eyes  
"I'm okay" I didn't want to tell him he was hurting me but he realized it himself and he immediately let go of me  
"I'm sorry" his eyes were still shining blue

Some people call those eyes the eyes of a killer but they are not. Those eyes are the eyes of regret, they say taking an innocent life lives a stain on your soul, but I don't believe it. Who can define who is and isn't innocent after all. It's not only the act of taking a life, it is also the remorse, the guilt that leaves that mark on your soul, the guilt and the remorse makes the eyes turn from warm golden to ice blue.

I quit paying attention his eyes when I heard a groan. I grabbed my knife from where I had left it fall.

I wasn't angry, I wasn't afraid, I was calm. I kneeled before the injured man and I grabbed a handful of his hair to make him look at me "who send you" I asked him, he groaned

He looked young he couldn't be more than two years older than me. I couldn't even imagine the brain wash the Brotherhood did to him, he probably believe that killing me would make him a hero. I wasn't angry at him he was just a kid who believed a story I was angry with Wegman who brainwashed all those people who made them believe that we were the monsters. Last night I was afraid of him and all the night before this one I was shaking on the idea of him now I was angry now I prayed he found me I hoped he was there when they got me because I was going to die but I was going to take him with me "I'm going to ask you some questions" I felt the smile forming in my lips, it was involuntary but I didn't make any attempt to hide it. "I just want some answers".


	11. Chapter 11

I'm not saying I was proud of the things I have done to that man, I wasn't. But grandma Frida would be very proud and that says a lot. I cleaned the blood from my hands watching the water on my sink slowly turning from red to transparent. I looked myself on the mirror and I almost didn't recognize the person who was looking back.

I splashed some water on my face and I walked out of the bathroom. Derek had moved away the bodies, but I still had to clean the blood so I scrubbed and washed floor

The man I tortured, was member of the brotherhood for less than a year. He didn't want to talk, but he did eventually he said they were alone, Wegman didn't know they were going to come to my apartment, they wanted to kill me on their own, to be the heroes. He also said they have a werewolf. That was the first thing he told me and the way he spoke about it still made the hair on my back rise. "Not like an animal" he said gritting his teeth "he is less than an animal" he didn't want to show me he was in pain but I knew he was in pain.

He was proud about that he was proud of his leader so I made sure he was in agonizing pain. He said Wegman uses him to show the new recruits what monsters we are. And he was proud of that, he didn't see the werewolf as a person, nothing close to human. I don't regret what I've done I don't regret tutoring that man. I would do that again and that was what scared me the most.

When all the blood was gone from my floor I made my way to Derek's loft, the door was open so I walked inside. I found him standing in front of the window wall. I could smell dirt and trees mixed with his scent. He didn't turn to look at me, he was looking outside. I walked next to him in front of the windows overlooking the city.

"He didn't know where they keep Liam" I forced myself to speak. That man told me they are planning to poison him before the exchange. "He didn't know what poison they were going to use" I looked at Derek's reflation on the window, his expression was unreadable.

"Eleonora" Derek sight. I wanted to run away from him but I forced myself to keep talking

"I will make some antidotes for the poisons I know they use more often"

"Eleonora" I felt Derek's hand on my shoulder

"I'm sure Deaton will know which one to use" Derek turned me with his hand on my shoulders so I was facing him. "If none of them…" I started saying but the worlds got stuck on my throat

He hugged me and I couldn't keep talking I just buried my face in his chest. His hands were on my back His chin rested on the top of my head, everywhere he touched me hurt but I didn't mind. I could hear his heart beating on my ear I let myself sing deeper into his arms. I placed my palm on his chest so I could feel his heartbeat "I'm sorry I brought them here" I said

"it's not your fault" his voice and his embrace were southing. For the first time in seven years I felt safe.

I pushed him away from me and he let me go. It was his warmth I missed first, and for just a second I debated with myself whether I should hug him again or not. I decided the latter would be best for both of us.

I started to walk past him but he put his hand on my arm his fingers closed around it "you are staying here" he said his tone didn't gave too much space to argue and if I wanted to be honest with myself I wanted to stay. I didn't want to be alone tonight.

"You aren't going to sleep?" Derek sat next to me. I was sitting on the floor in front of the window, looking at Beacon Hills.

"I am. I'm waiting for the dawn" His eyebrows crept up, "I don't sleep at night" I explained

he looked at me with interest "what do you mean, you don't sleep at nights?" he asked the corners of his mouth had curved a little.

I gave him a warning look "I'm not afraid of the dark" I said before he had a chance to say it.

"but you are afraid of sleeping on the dark?" he said trying not to smile and some traitorous part of myself was hoping to see him smile

"I don't like waking up in the dark" I said "it's different"

"sure" he noted solemnly

We locked eyes for a long moment. I noticed that his eyes looked gorgeous on the moon light. Well his eyes looked gorgeous in any lightning, but the moonlight was giving them a different kind glow, they looked greyish green. I forced myself to look away from his eyes and back at the view from the window

"You have a great view" I said

"I do" he agreed. I saw his reflection smiling and that traitorous part of myself felt really pleased to see his smile.

He waited with me till the dawn and although I said nothing, I was really grateful for it. When the sun started to brighten the sky he gave me his bed and he took the couch.

When I woke up wasn't on my bed, fear rushed over me, until my brain adjusted to reality. In my dream Phillip was yelling at me to run. But this time my dream weren't filled only with the dead bodies of my pack members I also saw people form Beacon Hills lying on my old house's floor, people I knew and people I've seen on the bookstore staring at me with glass eyes, Josh was there as well with same shocked expression on his eyes, the same wide open eyes filled with shock he had when he died.

I found Derek siting on the couch "what time is it?" I sat next to him

"twelve" he said. He looked grumpy.

"I told you should sleep on your bed" I took his coffee from the table "I would be fine sleeping on the couch" I took a sip from his coffee and winced, too strong "Derek?" was he angry with me?

"Argent called" he said.

That. Treacherous. Bastard. I knew I shouldn't trust a hunter

"Really?" I asked playing it cool "what did he say?" I sipped from his coffee again, forgetting I didn't like it in the first place

"Eleonora" he said my name as a waring

"what?" I sipped one more time, giving him what I believed was a poker face but couldn't be quite sure

"Stop it" he stood up toweling over me.

"Ok" I gave him the coffee mug "it's all yours"

He took the mug and placed it forcefully on the coffee table "you know what I mean" he barked

"you want me to spit it back?"

"Eleonora" he shouted

"OK yes" I shouted back, and then I took a breath to calm my voice again "I asked Argent for help, what was I supposed to do no one else was willing to help me"

"everyone is trying to help you" he exclaimed,

"First of all" I kept my voice calm "I don't appreciate the tone of your voice" I said borrowing a line from my mother's playbook.

"I'm sorry" he sat back next to me

"I forgive you" I took back the coffee "Derek I understand you want to help me, but there is no other way"

"I'm sure there are many other ways" his voice was laced with anger but at least he wasn't yelling at me anymore

"I'm dead" I looked at him I place the mug back on the coffee table "I'm dead" I said again to make sure he understood how serious I was "If Argent exchange me with Liam at least he will survive" I took a deep breath to calm my nerves "if I run they will find me. You know they will. If your pack fight them, innocent people will die. The only way is to agree with their terms, and pray they will leave you alone"

"They won't" he said "you know they won't leave us alone. Once they dealt with you they will find a new target. And maybe it won't be anyone in Beacon Hills. But the wont stop with you"

"and what do you suggest?" I asked "to start a war?" I didn't like the look on his face "Derek" I said he looked away "No" I shook my head "No, no, no" he was insane "are you insane?"

He didn't look at me, I stared on his profile watching his jaw ticking, He didn't answer and that was disappointing because I really wanted to know the answer to that question

"do you believe your plan is better?" he asked

"at least my plan doesn't include the death of everyone I know"

"yeah it included only yours" he said. I stood up. "The brotherhood won't stop" he called after me as I was walking away.

I really didn't want to have that conversation. I went downstairs to my apartment. "They will once they see that after I die werewolves still exist they will understand that their theory is wrong" I said when I heard him walking behind me.

"Wegman isn't stupid, he knows that Lycaon is a myth. He is just using that to his advantage"

he said. I didn't speak because he was right I have thought of that myself. I took the bags whith herbs Deaton brought me the other day and I made my way to the kitchen "you said it yourself. The brotherhood doesn't care. Wegman will go after another pack once he is done with you" he said walking behind me

"people will stop believing in his stories" I said

"do you believe they will?" he asked

I didn't answer. I tugged my arms out of his grip. "I have to start making antidotes for Liam" I said

Derek ignored me. "Do you really believe it?" he asked again. I didn't answer, I didn't believe they are going to stop, but I didn't want to admit it not even to myself, I turned my back on him and I started to open and close the cupboards, I didn't even know what I was looking for "you don't, you know the brotherhood better than anyone" he said.

I grabbed a pot and I placed it on the stove making a louder noise than I intended "and what do you suggest? to rise an army? To start a war?" I turned to look at him "no one will follow"

"I spoke to Satomi" he said.

Satomi Ito is an Alpha. I didn't know her but I knew of her, she was one of the oldest werewolves alive. "Satomi will never agree to this" I said. I knew she is Buddhist, along with the rest of her pack. They don't kill unless it is absolutely necessary.

"she agrees with me" Derek said.

"She… What?" my mind couldn't prosses this "What?" I asked again

I realized I was gaping so I closed my mouth. I opened it again to speak but I didn't know what to say so I closed it again. "she wants to meet with you" Derek said

I studied his face He seemed serious. He was serious. This wasn't a joke. He really wants to start a war. He can't be serious. Satomi would never agree to take part in that bloodshed. We are all going to die. Images of the dead people I saw on my dream flashed before my eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

We were standing on my kitchen looking at each other and I was patiently waiting for him to finally burst into laughter and say he was just messing with me but he didn't "you can't be serious" I said

"I am" The doorbell rang. "I can't talk to you right now the Banshee wants to scream at me and she probably going to be very busy if you keep up with your plan" I went to the door still in shock, with Derek trailing behind me explaining to me why staring a war against the Brotherhood would be a good idea.

Lydia was standing on the door with a really curious look on her face, her eyes were glassy and disoriented, she was looking at me but I knew she wasn't seeing me "Lydia?" I said her name as soft as I could, given the state I was on.

She spoke like she was speaking to herself "occidit una domus, sed non domus una perire digna fuit" she said the words in Latin

Only his house falls, but one house alone does not deserve to perish. The poem, the transformation of Lycaon. I couldn't understand why she was reciting the poem she did that when she predicted my death, but she didn't look like she was going to scream this time "Lydia?" I said her name again although I knew she couldn't hear me.

I never saw her hand moving mostly because I wasn't expecting this. She grabbed my shoulder before I could move away, putting pressure on the wound I had from the arrow. I closed my eyes as I yelped from pain.

When I opened them again I wasn't in my apartment anymore I was somewhere else, somewhere dark. "Lydia" I looked around, she wasn't there but I could still feel her hand on my shoulder.

Was she showing me my future? No this can't be it. Banshees can predict death, they can't tell the future.

I heard a voice and I looked around to see where it came from, it was a weak voice, like a whisper. I couldn't understand what the voice was saying but I knew the voice. I knew that voice to well I heard it in my dreams but in my dreams that voice wasn't weak. His voice wasn't weak.

My heart sunk to my chest. When I saw the pale shape on the floor. A shape chained, broken and weak. But it couldn't be him because he wasn't weak.

I couldn't see his face, but I could hear him, he was speaking with that voice that bare so much resemblance to my brother's voice, but my brothers voice wasn't weak. My brother wasn't weak. He was never weak.

This shape wasn't my brother. This man wasn't Philip he couldn't be Philip. Philip was dead and Philip wasn't weak.

I tried to walk but my feet were stack on the ground. A hand was holding me back I had to go to him had to see his face. He was speaking he was saying something I tried to hear but I couldn't make myself listen to that voice.

I felt a pain in my chest. I couldn't inhale, I could only exhale. "Philip?" I breathed his name. The broken form on the floor stopped speaking and raised its head with effort I could see its face now. This face that bare so much resemblance to my brother's face.

I breathed but breathing was hurting my chest. I wanted to stop breathing. "Philip?" my voice came out like a sob he looked around and I looked at him

He turned his face back to the wall, and he started speaking again. He was reciting the poem, the poem our mother used to read us. My heat was racing too fast. I could feel my heart beat, too strong and too fast, it was hurting. Like my heart was trying to break my ribcage and escape from my body.

I wanted to go to him but a hand was holding me back. I needed to go to him. I had to go to him. I broke free from that hand, and I took a step towards my brother but he wasn't there anymore and I was back in my apartment. I looked around searching for him but he wasn't there.

I saw the Banshee standing behind me "where was this place?" I asked her grabbing her arm. I shook her, she flinched

"Calm down" Derek put his arms on my shoulder and pulled me away from her

"Where was this place?" I asked again

"I don't know" the Banshee responded

"What happened?" Derek asked I tried to break free of his grip but he was holding me tight "What did you see?"

"Philip" I said "the werewolf was Philip" he looked at me confused. I wasn't making any sense "my brother, they have him" I took a shallow breath "the Brotherhood has my brother" I saw Derek's expression changing from confused to shocked as he let go of me.

Philip was dead. He died that night. But I never felt his death through the bond. I was too busy running. I was too busy trying to save my life too feel his death. Philip was alive. Philip was caged.

"We have a werewolf on a cell, not an animal, less than an animal" the man's voice was ringing on my head. Philip was the werewolf. Not human. Not animal. My brother. The room was spinning my knees gave up and I fell to the floor

My throat was closed. I tried to breath but I couldn't. Derek was cupping my face in his hands. My ears were buzzing. I could see his mouth moving but the sound didn't reach me, all I could hear was a buzz. He was speaking but I couldn't hear him. And I didn't care what he was saying.

After all those years my Brother was alive. Caged like an animal. Less than an animal. And it was my fault. I should have never left him. My hands were shaking. I removed Derek's hand from my face. He was too close he was crowding me and I was suffocating. I needed air, I needed space there was not enough air on the room.

I started breathing again and I was breathing too fast I couldn't control it. Every inhale was hurting my lungs. I felt my head light. And the room started spinning again. I had to calm down I had to control my breathing. I had to help Philip. But first I had to calm the fuck down.


	13. Chapter 13

"Why would they keep him alive?" Derek asked. I was now calm enough to hold a conversation. but not enough to stop passing up and down

"he said they show him to the recruits" anger rushed over me for a second but I dismissed the feeling I had to be calm.

"this doesn't make sense, if they want to destroy you blood line" Lydia said she had stayed,

"the man last night didn't know who he is" I said nipping my thump "probably no one knows who he is and Wegman obviously doesn't believe the myth"

"Wegman is the founder right?" Lydia asked I didn't answer but I knew Derek did because her next question followed "and he doesn't believe his own story?"

I decided I was going to ignore rhetoric questions. I stopped pacing "are you sure you don't know where that place is?" I asked Lydia

"yes" she said "I don't even know what you saw" I started pacing again. I had to find were they keeping him. I didn't see anything there were no windows so my best guess was it must be underground.

Wegman wouldn't risk keeping a werewolf on his house. He wouldn't take the recruits to his house either. It was a cell with no windows but there was light coming from somewhere maybe there were windows and I didn't notice.

I closed my eyes trying to remember were the light was coming from it was dark and Philip was to my left chained. Chained on a cell

"Frida" I exclaimed. I looked at Lydia "you dream, my grandma," Lydia looked at me with confusion written all over her face. I wasn't making any sense. Again. I had to calm down. I took a breath "you had a dream with my grandma" I said slowly "she was chained"

"yes she was on a cell"

"describe it"

"it was dark" Lydia thought for a moment "it was made from concrete and there were not any windows" that's it that's the cell

"did she say something?"

"she said something about a bracelet" Lydia said

"yes, yes the bracelet" my hands went instinctively at the bracelet on my hand "something else" I pressed "think Lydia please" I begged her

"no, she was yelling for me to wear it"

"not about the bracelet" why would Frida care so much about the bracelet? She never cared about family heirlooms. This want making any sense but my grandma never made any sense whatsoever.

No. no, no, no, Frida was cryptic she wasn't crazy there is something about the bracelet "what was her words exactly" I asked

"wear the bracelet" Lydia said exasperated. And fought an urge to slap her. I had to remain calm. Wear the bracelet, she was talking to Lydia. Lydia had to wear the bracelet not me I took off the bracelet and gave it to her "wear it" I said

"what?" she asked like I was insulting her

"just wear the fucking bracelet" I almost yelled at her and then I took a deep breath because I had to be calm

"you sound just like her" she faked smiled at me as she took the bracelet from my hands. And I took another deep breath because again I had to remain calm. She wore it looking bored and I took another calming breath.

I waited nothing happened. I waited a little longer. She took it off. I start pacing again. Wear the bracelet, wear the bracelet, maybe it was a different bracelet. Or maybe Frida was mocking me from the grave. That bitch. Maybe there was something on the bracelet. "Where is it?" I started asking but what I actually said was "where… wear" I looked at Lydia "where not wear" I almost laugh. Everyone was looking at me like I wasn't making any sense. But I was. I was calm and I was making sense.

She was looking for it. My lovely grandma. That bitch. "She was looking for it" I explained

"and she wasn't using proper grammar apparently" Lydia mumbled, but I heard it

"hey" I said pointing a finger at her "watch it. She was an insufferable bitch but she was my grandma" I started pacing again because pacing was good, pacing kept me calm "so my grandma the insufferable bitch was looking for the bracelet" I said because I needed to hear my thought "But why?" I got the bracelet, she wasn't going to like it because she wasn't a big fan of me and the bracelet was hers before she gave it to my mother, but she died before my mother gave it to me so I didn't care. Okay deep down, I cared because I wasn't wearing it. I was wearing it the night of the attack because my mother asked me to when the Brotherhood broke inside our house

"What is it with that bracelet?" Derek asked.

"It's a family heirloom" I said "it's passed from generation to generation and it supposed to be powerful" and then my thinking proses started to flowing "and Frida wasn't looking for it because Frida had already passed it to my mother. Someone else is looking for it someone who has something to do with the sell" I looked at him he looked back at me "Wegman" I almost yelled and then I took a calming breath "Wegman is looking for it" I solved Frida's riddle and she isn't even alive so I can rub it on her face.

"Wegman is looking for your bracelet" Derek said and at that point I had to admit that I sounded kind of stupid. But I was sure.

"I believe so. Yes" I nodded solemnly so he would see that I wasn't completely insane.

"Why would Wegman want your bracelet?" Derek asked me, he was patronizing me I wanted to sucker punch him. But he had a point why would he want the bracelet? And even If he wanted the bracelet why Frida felt the need to pass that message.

"I need to speak with her" I said Derek raised his eyebrows

"with your dead grandmother?" he asked me

"yes, I think she knows something" I said

"And how exactly are you going to do that" he asked

My lovely grandma never made anything easy on me. And now I had to contact her via a Banshee, I kneeled in front of Lydia who was looking at me like I was insane "Lydia I need you to do something for me"

"what?" she asked alarmed

"I want you to help me speak to my grandmother"

"I don't know how" she said

"that's okay I know how" in theory but I decided it would be best to keep that part for myself

I extended my hand to her "hold my hand" she looked at it with something between horror and disgust. She raised her hand slowly

"this is really dangerous" Derek said and as a reaction to that Lidia pulled her hand back

"no don't worry it's only dangerous for me" I reassured her. I glanced at Derek "I know what I'm doing" I said, in theory but again they didn't need to know that. I placed my hand on her forearm gently, careful so I wouldn't scare her "just hold my arm" slowly she placed her fingers on my forearm "whatever happens don't let go" I said

"what is going to happen?" she asked and I heard the fear on her voice

"to you nothing" I ensured her "I will probably be in agonizing pain, just don't let go. Okay?" she nodded "okay close your eyes I need you to think about her" I said "my grandma can you do that?"

"Yes" Lydia said

"good" oh shit right I almost forgot about that "you should sit comfortable it may take a while"

"how long" Lydia opened her eyes again

I had no idea "just close your eyes" she closed them again

"describe her to me how does she look?" I swallowed preparing myself for the pain

"she… she has white hair and brown eyes…" Lydia said

"Focus Lydia" I said keeping my voice soft. I closed my eyes, focusing on her voice

"has pale skin, she is tall really tall and slim, she… has wrinkles around her eyes" Lydia said, if only Frida could hear her I felt a sharp pain on my palm "go on" I said through gritted teeth

And she continued describing my grandmother. Touching Lydia felt like touching burning iron. I grasped her so I won't let go. And I wanted to let go more than anything else. The veins on my arm were throbbing. My whole body was shaking and I couldn't control my muscles.

I squeezed my eyes, I shouldn't open them yet. Not yet, I had to wait a little longer, just a little longer. I clamped my jaw shut so I wouldn't scream. And I focused on Lydia's voice "she has small nose, thin lips" I felt the pain moving from my palm to my arm and then spreading to my whole body like there was acid running through my veins.

I opened my eyes and I looked around I was on my knees on the sell where I saw Philip but Philip wasn't there Frida was there looking down at me she was looking just like I remembered her tall and imposing "Calm yourself child" the words echoed on the walls. "Embrace the pain"

"Where is Philip?" I asked slowly, the pain was too much, it was difficult to breath

"He is here" she said. I looked around, winching from pain "you can't see him, you asked the Banshee for me" her toneless voice was coming from every direction

"someone is looking for the bracelet" I said through greeted teeth. Freda smiled slyly, she wasn't going to make it easy on me

"Wegman?" I asked Freda's smile disappeared and her face hardened, I was right, it was Wegman "Why? What has that to do with Philip?"

"he always was stubborn kid, your brother" Frida said proudly "Why aren't you wearing it?" she asked in an accusatory tone

"Freda for f-"

"show some respect" her voice boomed echoing around me and hurting my ears

"my dear grandmother" I hissed "please, help me understand what's going on"

"I don't appreciate your sarcasm, you were always a contrary child" her voice became toneless again

"Freda" I growled both from pain and my grandmother's apathy

"it was always about the bracelet" she said "it is powerful and he want that power"

"Where is he?" I asked "where is this place?"

"You were never been here" she said looking at me with disappointment "but you know where it is"

"how-"

"you should go" she interrupted me "you've been here more than you should"

"no I need-"

"you need to go" she said kneeled in front of me. She placed a hand on my cheek I looked at my grandmothers eyes "close your eyes" she said he voice was soft, she smiled a kind smile I have never seen Frida smiling like that her smiles were always cunning or mean or hiding something but this smile was genuine, I closed my eyes "be careful child" I heard her saying. When I opened my eyes again. I was back in my apartment.

I let go of Lydia's arm and the pain started to go away only my palm and forearm were hurting, the places were Lydia was touching me. I crawled away from her nursing my arm. "How do you feel?" Derek asked

"I'm fine"

"you were out for more than an hour" Derek said "I'm sure you are not fine"

"I'm fine I just need a minute" an hour was too long Freda was right I've been there more than I should. I closed my eyes again waiting for the pain to go away. I felt tired, I tried to open my eyes again but my eyelids felt like they were superglued shut.


	14. Chapter 14

"Nora run" Philip was yelling at me. I could hear his voice in stereo like It was coming from many different directions everywhere looked there was blood and smoke I stood up and started running but my feet weren't working it was difficult to run like I was cut in quicksand I was trying to make my feet move but they weren't, it felt like I was running in slow motion I fell and started crawling.

I opened my eyes and I could see nothing but darkness all around me I was on a bed. I smelled blood and gun powder then someone grabbed me I kicked and screamed someone called my name I heard a light switch and then the light burned my eyes

"it was a dream" I Derek walked to where I was

"it was a dream" I echoed breathing fast I looked around my heart was pounding on my chest I was on my bedroom.

Derek sat next to me on the bed he was telling me to calm down and I was trying to control my breathing. I couldn't remember falling asleep "what time is it?" I asked when I felt calm again

"midnight" he said "you fell asleep on the floor I didn't want to wake you up"

Derek walked inside the kitchen as I was drinking the second glass of water "what did your grandmother said?"

"she said that I know where they keep Philip but I never been there" I said filling my glass again. I took the glass and I sat on a chair. Stupid Freda and her stupid riddles. Derek took a seat on a chair next to me "she was also disappointed in me that I never been on that place"

Derek looked skeptical for a second "did she ever told you to go somewhere and you didn't?" he asked

"I don't think her disappointment was a clue, I was a constant provider of disappointment for my grandmother" Derek gave me a quizzical look "she never accepted the fact that her first grandchild was a latent werewolf" I explained

"did she said anything else?" Derek asked

"She said that Wegman wants the bracelet, that it is powerful and that I was always a contrary child the last one was not a clue either she just had many years to insult me and she ceased the opportunity" I rested my face on my hands. I rubbed my face trying to clear my head

"What do you mean powerful?" Derek asked

"My mother used to say that it is a talisman that has the power to protect the wearer"

"protect him from what?"

"I don't know, danger I guess" I rubbed my face again "I didn't even believed that it worked until tomorrow"

But it works and that means that if my mother had kept it she would be alive now instead of me. This means that I'm the reason that my mother is dead and my brother is captive. "So Wegman wants the bracelet and he believes Philip knows where it is"

"your brother doesn't know you got it" Derek asked

"no one knew I had the bracelet except my mother" I said, she wanted me to wear it that night so it can protect me I should have never accept it, "so since my mother wasn't wearing it he probably believes it is somewhere on the house"

"I guess at that point Wegman knows you got it" Derek said "he can't looking around the house for seven years"

"yeah I don't know our house was pretty big" I tried to make a joke.

Our house was indeed pretty big and it had a basement twice the size of the house my father had built sells strong enough to contain the bitten or the young werewolves who could not control the change of a full moon I never went inside one of them because I was latent, full moon except some horrific headaches did nothing to me, but I knew where they were

"what?" Derek asked, I realized that my mouth was hanging wide open

"the sell" I said "it's in my house"

"what?"

"The sells! We had sells on the basement for the bitten and those who couldn't control the change" oh my god Freda's disappointment was a clue after all "I know where they are but I never went there because I was latent"

"Wegman is keeping Philip on your house?" Derek asked

"Wegman is keeping Philip on my house" I echoed, that bastard was using my house all those years I was angry no I wasn't angry I was furious. But I had to remain calm because I had to find Philip and set him free and then find Wegman and tear him apart from limp to limp.

"Derek" I spoke as calm as I could, he looked at me "we are going to start a war"


End file.
